Training
No complaints. Better than last time I did back/pull (July 17).
Gym was nice today. No shortage of towels. Lots of people training with focus. Comic relief in the form of a harmless gentleman who wore a weight belt to do bicep curls and took it off to do rows.
– DB shrugs: 10x20lbs, 8x25lbs, 8x35lbs, 8×30lbs, 8x25lbs, 12x20lbs (per hand) ss w/ abwork: ssv’s 6×12
– Seated cable rows: 10x40lbs, 8x55lbs, 8x85lbs, 8x90lbs, 8x70lbs, 12x40lbs ss w/ abwork: weighted situps (25 lb plate) on a decline bench 6×12
– Bentover BB rows: 10x45lbs, 8x55lbs, 8x65lbs, 8x70lbs, 8x55lbs, 12x45lbs
– Lat PDs to chin: went with a very light weight to forestall the sharp pain that caused the early stoppage last time. I will increment gradually from here. 10x25lbs, 10x45lbs, 10x55lbs, 10x45lbs, 10x40lbs, 12x25lbs
So now that the training is coming together it’s time to tackle the Cliff of Insanity that is food (gratuitous Princess Bride reference there). As I’ve dealt with training again and gearing up for the start of work, food has gone from bad to atrocious. Not all the time; often I’ll start the day with a wonderful breakfast and a wonderful lunch, but eventually I bury my frustrations in fast food or a bag of pita chips and a bottle of cola. And yes, I am capable of eating the entire 8oz bag of pita chips at a sitting, for total of 1040kcal/ 152g C/ 40g F/ 24g P / 0g Enjoyment. This is not a habit that engenders strength or fitness, and it has nothing to do with knowing what’s in my food. I have better nutritional recall of macros than 90% of the people I know.
On the bright side, the fridge is filled with good food and I have no social outings planned until August 11 (watching UFC 150 at BWW). From past experience, I know that the harder I train and the stronger I get, the easier it is to deal with food, probably because I take out my frustrations on the iron. It’s just the first few weeks (okay, maybe months) that I’ll be scaling the damn Cliffs.
On the agenda for tomorrow: shopping for a bathing suit. No, this is not a traumatic experience. I’m not one of those masochists who engage in self-flagellation in fitting rooms. The community center where my current gym is located has a gorgeous 25 meter lap pool and a big leisure pool with an 18 foot water slide. They even have a therapy pool with an underwater treadmill that one can book for 30 minutes at a time. I may as well make use of them. TJMaxx is usually good for a plus size suit under $25, especially at this time of year. I hope they have something garish and bright; I refuse to wear a black bathing suit on general principles.
Thought Provoking Reading Elsewhere
– At the Montreal Gazette, How About the Right to Cry for Help? Quote: “To put it simply, if a non-disabled person wants to commit suicide, she’s considered irrational and mentally ill, and is treated for depression, or maybe even locked up to prevent her from hurting herself. But if a disabled person wants to kill herself, she’s told she’s making a reasonable choice, and not only has the right to do so, but is even helped to complete the act so her death is guaranteed”
– At the Washington Post, a wrenching article about assisted living facilities.
– ESR writes about Gun Free Fantasy Zones.
July 23, 2012 at 7:22 am
I’ve never managed anything really heavy for a pulldown; probably my expectations are too high. Also I don’t have a lot of small weights to increment with, so I’m trying to make too big a jump from one workout to the next.
We are the opposite with food/workouts – it’s hard for me to get into a workout groove, but my food is always pretty good, given that I eat 99% of my meals at home and it’s a long drive to get any junk food. But we are on the same wavelength with swimming suits. I also generally refuse to get a skirted suit, unless it’s super cute.